Volunteer program a hit with teens and libraries

Service Learner Program: www.sdcl.org (visit the online Teen Lounge), or stop by your local branch library.

SAN MARCOS  When Benny Garcia was a senior in high school, he took part in the Service Learner program at the San Marcos branch library to fulfill his community service requirements. But looking back, Garcia sees the experience as more than volunteer work.

“I was getting work experience and building people skills,” said Garcia, 18, who graduated from Mission Hills in June. “It was like I was one of the library staff.”

Garcia spent school breaks and after-school hours shelving and helping patrons find books. He is among nearly 1,070 teens who participated in the program last year at 33 San Diego County branch libraries.

The program gives teens needed community service and work experience, while helping keep libraries open despite budget cuts.

“The Service Learner program keeps kids constantly engaged in the community and helps them to see that they’re part of the solution to problems,” said Jose Aponte, library director of San Diego County libraries. “There are fewer of us doing more work at the libraries, but working with schools and youth, we came up with a solution.”

The Service Learner program began with a 10-month pilot project in September 2008 and drew 645 students.

Service learners shelve books, tutor students and help run the summer reading club and other programs. At the San Marcos branch, teens started Pennies for Peace to raise money to help build schools in the Middle East. Each of the county libraries has a teen advisory group that contributes ideas on ways to get teens more involved in the library.

“We want kids to feel the library is a place where they’re welcome, and we want to have meaningful opportunities to develop their interests,” Bright said.

Teens 12 and older can sign up for the Service Learner program at one of more than 30 San Diego County branch libraries by picking up an application at a county library, having it signed by a parent and an optional school sponsor, and meeting with branch staff.